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By KEVIN KELLY
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 19, 2001
With interleague play over for now following a three-game sweep by the Marlins, the Rays get 14 straight against the top two teams in the AL East.
"We've been beaten by everyone," manager Hal McRae said. "It might be a plus to play a club like the Red Sox and the Yankees. We might do very well. We're not intimidated by anyone. We can't be because we've been beaten by everyone."
It would be easy to be intimidated considering what the Red Sox have done to the Rays this season.
Boston swept a pair of three-game series against Tampa Bay by a combined 47-10 and holds a 25-18 advantage in the series. The Yankees and Rays have yet to play any of their 19 scheduled games.
"The only way you're going to get better is to play against the best," Tampa Bay infielder Russ Johnson said. "It shows you what you've got to do and what you've got to work on to be competitive.
"We're playing them the whole month and you can make up some ground if you get some help from other people, and you beat up on them when you have them there."
SOLID RETURN: Shortstop Felix Martinez played well during his first two starts since coming off the 15-day disabled list with tendinitis in his right knee.
Though he went a combined 0-for-5 Friday and Saturday, Martinez was perfect on defense, important considering his 12 errors lead the team. Martinez fielded several ground balls cleanly, including a spectacular diving stop in the hole during the second inning Saturday.
"I thought he played good, but he was just slated to go a couple of days to keep him fresh and give (Andy) Sheets a (rest)," McRae said. "That was the whole purpose. I didn't think it would serve him well to go on a short rehab, play some games, get some at-bats and come here and sit. "So when he does play again, he should be able to relax."
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: The odds of Gerald Williams re-entering the starting lineup soon aren't improving.
Jason Tyner will start in center today for the fourth time in six games.
Williams, who was taken out of the lineup June 12 and hasn't started since, has a .207 batting average and .261 on-base percentage in 61 games. The 34-year-old has gone hitless in his past 14 at-bats.
"I'm always prepared to play," he said. "If I'm called upon, I'm ready. I just come here ready to play each and every day."
TITLE CHASING: If chasing the 1962 Mets for the most losses in a season weren't bad enough, the Rays are on pace to tie the 1940 St. Louis Browns for most unearned runs in a season (152), and to become the fourth AL team to rank last in the league in runs scored and first in runs allowed.
They've allowed 64 unearned runs in 68 games, scored 264 runs and allowed opponents to score 434 times.
ODDS AND ENDS: Greg Vaughn has 20 RBI this month, one shy of the team record held by Fred McGriff and Jose Canseco for RBI in June. ... After losing three to the Marlins, the Rays' interleague record dropped to 23-38. ... Wilson Alvarez is scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Durham on Wednesday, and Juan Guzman will pitch in a simulated game Wednesday or Thursday. Both are recovering from rotator cuff surgery.
WHERE: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg.
TV/RADIO: Ch. 32; WFLA-AM 970, WLCC-AM 760 (Spanish).
TODAY'S PROMOTION: Upper general admission tickets are $8 with a coupon from the Tampa Tribune. Fans can register at all area Eckerd drug stores to be one of two winners who visit the Rays dugout and watch batting practice. Each winner can bring three guests.
TICKETS: Available at stadium box office; through Ticketmaster phone and retail outlets; at team stores in WestShore Plaza, Brandon Town Center and BayWalk.
INFORMATION: Call 1-888-FAN-RAYS.
BRYAN REKAR: Rekar (1-7, 5.15) got his first win of the season against the Phillies on June 13, pitching eight innings and allowing three runs on nine hits while striking out seven. The right-hander is 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA lifetime against the Red Sox.
TIM WAKEFIELD: Wakefield (4-1, 2.34) lost in his last start, against the Marlins on June 13, but is 2-1 lifetime against the Rays. The knuckleballer picked up a win April 6 when he pitched three innings of relief and allowed one run on three hits.
While the results haven't been all that different, the faces in the Rays lineup have changed dramatically since the Red Sox last visited:
(April 19 lineup/Likely June 19 lineup)
Gerald Williams, cf/Jason Tyner, cf
Russ Johnson, 2b/Randy Winn, rf
Greg Vaughn, dh/Greg Vaughn, lf
Fred McGriff, 1b/Fred McGriff, 1b
Ben Grieve, lf/Ben Grieve, dh
Jose Guillen, rf/Aubrey Huff, 3b
Vinny Castilla, 3b/Mike DiFelice, c
John Flaherty, c/Andy Sheets, ss
Felix Martinez, ss/Damian Rolls, 2b
Paul Wilson, p/Bryan Rekar, p